USAF ACADEMY, Colo. — The University of New Mexico baseball team found itself down 7-4 to Air Force heading into the eighth inning Sunday as the Lobos risked missing a chance to sweep the Falcons on the road.
But having put up 43 runs over the previous two days against the Falcons, it felt like a matter of when – not if – the New Mexico offense would explode.
That “when” was the eighth inning.
Carl Stajduhar and Jack Zoellner led off the inning with solo home runs and Austin Bell hit a pinch-hit, three-run triple to highlight an eight-run inning for the Lobos as UNM completed the sweep with a 16-7 victory over the Falcons to complete the sweep on a windy afternoon at Falcon Field.
Following the Stajduhar and Zoellner homers – the second time the duo has gone back-to-back this season and the third time in their careers – to cut the Air Force lead to 7-6, Jared Mang laced a ball off the center field wall for a double. A failed sac bunt attempt, a walk to pinch-hitter Hayden Schilling, a pop out and an intentional walk to Luis Gonzalez loaded the bases for the pinch-hitter Bell.
The left-handed hitting Bell hit a 1-0 pitch into the left-center field gap to clear the bases and give the sophomore a triple – and give the Lobos a 9-7 lead.
“That was a huge hit,” UNM coach Ray Birmingham said. “He’s a guy that if it’s a right-hander on the mound, he’s in. I know he’s going to put the bat on the ball. He’s really coming around.”
UNM (7-3 overall, 3-0 Mountain West) didn’t stop there as RBI singles from Danny Collier, Zoellner (his fifth hit of the game) and Mang pushed the Lobo advantage to 12-7.
New Mexico added four more in the ninth inning on an RBI single by Gonzalez, a two-run single by Zoellner and another run scoring on an Air Force (4-6, 0-3) error to put the final at 16-7.
After the Falcons scored in each inning from the third to the sixth to take a 7-4 advantage, UNM relievers Drew Gillespie and Christian Tripp shut the Falcons out over the final three innings. Gillespie went an inning and gave up a hit and a walk to pick up the victory while Tripp went the final two innings and gave up no runs on three hits.
Johnathon Tripp got the start for the Lobos, going six innings and giving up seven runs on nine hits with two walks.
At the plate, Zoellner finished 5-for-5 with a home run and four RBI, Gonzalez went 4-for-5 with three doubles, an RBI and four runs, Stajduhar went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, four runs and two RBI, Mang went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI and a run and Collier finished 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run.
“Air Force can really hit,” Birmingham said. “We are fortunate to get out of here with three wins. A lot of people are going to get beat here. Anybody coming in here better bring their lunch because it’s going to take all day to beat these guys.”
Up next for the Lobos is a date with New Mexico State in El Paso, Texas, at Southwest University Park. Listen to the game live with play-by-play from Scott Galetti on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM streamed at www.1017theteam.com and on the TuneIn Radio app.
NOTES
- The Lobos have won 11 consecutive series in Colorado against Air Force, last losing there in 2002
- Zoellner is the first Lobo with five hits in a game since Chris DeVito had five hits against Fresno State on April 9, 2016. In that same game last season, Carl Stajduhdar had six hits.
- Drew Gillespie’s win is the first of his collegiate career.
- The Lobos finished the series with 68 hits (had 60 as a team in first seven games) and 59 runs (scored 45 runs entering the series).
- There were 1,110 combined pitches thrown during the three-game series between the two teams.
- The Lobo pitching staff didn’t record a strikeout Sunday, the first time UNM hasn’t recorded a strikeout in a game since May 9, 2014, against Nevada.